Letter: Republicans dismissive of climate change

Steve Ghan’s recent op-ed piece on Republicans and climate change (TCH, July 12) tries to convince us that any conclusions we might have reached over the past several decades is completely wrong.

He writes, “Everything you think you know about Republicans and climate change is a myth …” “Everything?” He then proceeds to share with the reader the gist of private conversations between members of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby and unnamed Republicans with “very few instances” of any “pushback.”

In their public pronouncements most Republicans have by-and-large been dismissive of climate change. For example, Ted Cruz talks about “global warming alarmists” being the equivalent of “flat-Earthers.” Sara Palin brushes off climate change as “junk science.” Paul Ryan accused climatologists of using “statistical tricks to distort their findings.” The number of potential quotes far exceeds what can be included in a letter.

Perhaps there is a mismatch between what is stated in private as opposed to what is said in public for all to hear (or read). Dr. Ghan’s piece is remarkably similar (in some places almost word-for-word) to an article by Mark Reynolds that appeared in the Salem Statesman Journal the previous day.